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RURAL SOCIOLOGY 391, FALL 2002 SMU JOURNALS
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| Journal #1 - Environment | |
| Journal #2 - Food | |
| Journal #3 - Social class | |
| Journal #4 - Contrasting communities - due in 2 weeks | |
| Part 1: Choose two of the rural
communities we have been discussing (farming, fishing, logging, mining),
two communities that are different from your own. Contrast your
life to that of a similar person who was raised in each of these
communities. Undertake a comparison, looking for similarities and
differences including but not limited to the following areas:
education/schooling, employment/career, family, recreation activities,
transportation, etc...) Draw upon the exercise I gave where you
were to describe the people in your "community", and draw upon
the readings and class discussions from class about these communities.
Part 2: Reflection - what does this comparison tell you about your life. |
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| Journal #5 - Gender and sexuality | |
| Part 1: From the readings on masculinity
what do you think of this idea that men are closer to nature but that
ecofeminists would argue women are in effect closer to nature? Looking
at yourself, explore how you see yourself in this respect.
Part 2: From the Out Our Way book (and also some of the readings pertaining to gay life in the masculinity readings), how do you see yourself in the stories, i.e. what commonalities can you find between the people described in the book. What suggestions would you have for those of non-heterosexual orientation living in rural areas from everything that you have learned so far about rural life. |
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| Journal #6 - Race/Ethnicity - due Tuesday, March 18th | |
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Part 1 Race: What does it mean to be ____________ (your race)? (you need to decide on which race you self-identify with). Draw upon the exercises we conducted in Tuesday’s class (white privilege questionnaire) Part 2 Ethnicity: What does it mean to be ____________ (your ethnicity)? Describe your ethnic/cultural heritage. Consider what rituals and traditions you follow from this background. Consider what other racial/ethnic/cultural heritages you draw upon in your current life. Describe not only rituals or traditions, but also other cultural elements, such as food, clothing, mannerisms, artifacts, language - essentially attitudes and behaviours which you are drawing upon from these other heritages. Remember to consider all aspects of your life - from your life as a student to maybe worker to family to leisure to media, etc... And consider all of your life not just now for both parts 1 & 2. Part 3: If you were part of the racial majority in a rural community, what sort of social interaction would you be willing to seek with the racial minorities in light of the fact that there is racial discrimination in such communities ranging from name calling to potential hate crimes? |
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